First Starbucks Juice Bar Opens

Starbucks has opened the first franchise of its new juice-bar venture, Evolution Fresh.

Roughly four months after announcing that it had acquired juice company Evolution Fresh, Starbucks has opened the first location of its new juice-bar chain in Bellevue, WA. The coffee kingpin purchased the beverage business for $30 million this fall with the intent of increasing its presence in the growing health-food market, although the number of juice storefronts that Starbucks plans to operate remains unclear. Evolution Fresh offers an extensive menu of fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices alongside other healthful options and veg fare such as oatmeal, wraps, soups, and salads, with an emphasis on “superfoods” such as coconut water, kale, and quinoa. The Bellevue franchise will be observed by company officials as a preemptive example of the potential success of the new chain.